


He Said No

by OOFOOFx3



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Keith Works At Kay, M/M, because every kiss begins with kay, disaster gay shiro is best shiro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-17
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-08-03 17:45:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16330694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OOFOOFx3/pseuds/OOFOOFx3
Summary: Keith works at a jewelry store, selling rings and such. Shiro comes in one day to buy an engagement ring to propose to his boyfriend, but things take an unexpected turn.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I live for disaster gay shiro

A white-haired, yet young man approached the jewelry store. His eyes shone at the sparkling diamonds embedded in the silver and gold bands, though that wasn't what he was looking for. He needed an engagement ring for the man he loved most, Adam. They had been together for almost four years now, and Shiro was more than ready to pop the question.

A slightly younger male sat on a tall stool by the display case, waving good-bye to a couple who had purchased a pair of earrings. He looked up at Shiro. "Hello, my name is Keith. How may I help you today?"  
The hopefully-to-be fiancé stopped in his tracks at the sight of Keith. He held in a gasp. Instead of going bananas and forgetting Adam existed, he cleared his throat and requested to see the rings on sale.

"Oh, planning to get hitched? Lucky guy," Keith chuckled, shuffling to a display case. "Something vintage? Or perhaps a different style?"  
Shiro shifted his gaze to several different rings, nibbling on his fingernail thoughtfully. "You'd think that after six months of me pondering this moment, I would've thought about what ring to get him,"  
"Six months, huh? How long have you two been together?"  
"Four years. Since we were both 23," 

Keith nodded. He extended an index finger to a simple silver-colored ring sitting on a foam finger. "How about that one? Don't know what exactly you're looking for, but that's a nice one,"  
Shiro hummed in response. "How much is it?"  
"4,000?" Keith bargained. He rapped his fingers gently on the glass case as he waited for an answer. 

"That'll be fine," Shiro said, pulling his credit card from his wallet. Keith took it and hid his solemn expression behind the choppy bangs of his outdated hair, swiping the card through the small machine. He tapped his fingers on the case again as he waited for the machine to deny or accept his credit card. He handed it back to Shiro when he heard a loud ping. "Is that it?"

Shiro nodded, shoving the card back into his wallet. "Thank you,"  
"No problem. Come again," Keith murmured quietly as the soon-to-be engaged man left the store. He held his bottom lip tight between his teeth, repressing a loud and longing sigh. That pretty man would be getting married soon, no doubt. He'd have a future with a different man, not Keith.  
The crying need in Keith's heart filled him with an indescribable burn. He had the inclination to go sulk mindlessly in the restroom near, but his shift was nowhere close to being complete. He decided to pine by himself in his room at home later to cry over the stranger approaching wedlock.

Shiro groaned, looking up the sky. Rain poured down from the dark clouds. He clutched the bag to his chest and hunched over to protect it, worried the ring would somehow be ruined if it touched a single droplet of water. He sighed, wishing he had taken his car instead of getting his steps in.

Shiro rushed home as fast and as carefully as he could, praying the rain would let up soon. He burst into his apartment, panting and wheezing. A startled Adam looked up from his book, his chocolate brown eyes full of concern.

"Takashi! Oh, my God. You're soaked,"

It hadn't taken long for something to convince Shiro Adam was the love of his life. They had met in a coffee shop, when Shiro had accidentally knocked over his macchiato and spilled it onto Adam. From then they had laughed at his clumsiness and exchanged phone numbers.

Shiro held the bag at his side, cautious to not give away what the item inside was. "Yeah. It's pouring out there,"  
Adam folded the page he had been on, closing the book gently. The hardback cover thumped softly against the paper. "What's inside the bag?"

Shiro spoke as casually as he could, spouting the first thing that came into his head. "Lozenges,"  
"You're sick? Oh no," Adam shuffled to Shiro, resting the back of his hand on his boyfriend's forehead.  
"It's just the common cold," Shiro said, gingerly batting Adam's hand away. 

"You shouldn't have been in the rain, Takashi. Let's get you into dry clothes," Adam took the bag and set it on the counter, dragging Shiro to the bedroom to get him changed.  
"No, really. Adam, I'm fine—,"

"Hush. I'll make you some soup,"


	2. Chapter 2

Shiro got down on one knee, ignoring the possibility of his pants getting dirty. His heart thrummed wildly in his chest. A grin played onto his mouth as he pulled the small box from his coat pocket. "Adam, these four years have been the best years of my life,"  
Adam threw his hand over his mouth, concealing a gasp. "Takashi..."

"You make me happier than I ever thought I could be. And if you let me, I will spend the rest of my life trying to make you feel the same way,"

The trees looming above them swayed gently in the wind. It was a peaceful Thursday evening, the weatherman had predicted heavy rainfall, yet the sun shined on.  
A leaf whirled off a branch and landed on Adam's shoulder. He didn't bother to brush it off, instead keeping his appalled gaze on Shiro.  
"Since the day I dumped my coffee macchiato all over the front of your white button-up, I knew you were the one for me. You hold the key to my heart, and you always have,"  
Adam's eyes lit up and welled with tears as Shiro spoke the final line of his proposal.  
"Adam, will you marry me?"

Shiro plodded glumly into the jewelry store he had bought the ring at days ago. The bag, slightly crumpled, was held loosely in his hand. He heaved a out deep sigh, shouldering open the door and walking over to the man he bought the ring from.  
Adam hadn't been ready for marriage, apparently. Instead of being overjoyed and thrilled at Shiro's proposal, he had been infuriated and stormed away. It broke Shiro's heart, to say the very least, when Adam told him he was moving out.  
Shiro and Adam had discussed the idea of marriage several times, and during those conversations, Adam said nothing about not being ready. In fact, Adam had said he would be disappointed if he didn't marry Shiro eventually. This sparked intense confusion within Shiro.

"I'm here to return a ring I purchased a while ago,"

Keith looked up, smiling wide. "Oh, I remember you! Ring didn't fit?"  
Shiro bit his bottom lip and shook his head. He looked down at the floor and studied his shoes, willing himself not to let a tear slide down his cheek. "He said no,"  
Keith's smile was replaced with a look of sympathy. "I'm sorry to hear that,"

"He's moving out of the apartment. He got angry with me," Shiro jolted his gaze back up again. "Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't vent to a stranger. I'm distracting you from your job,"  
"Don't sweat it. I see this all the time," Keith smiled again, leaning in a little bit closer. "And everything happens for a reason. There's plenty of fish in the sea, Shiro,"  
"I... How do you know my name?"  
"It displayed on the screen when you swiped your credit card,"  
"Ah. That makes sense," Shiro nodded. He scratched the back of his neck, setting the bag on the counter. "Anyway, I gotta return this. There's no point in me keeping it,"

Keith blinked. "Selling it to someone would be better. You'd get more money back than if you just got a refund from me,"  
"I don't care how much cash I get for it. I just want to get rid of it," The bitterness and venom laced in Shiro's voice shocked Keith and made him flinch.  
"Okay, I'll offer 3,500 for it. Hand it here,"

Shiro slid the bag closer to Keith, who opened it and removed the ring from its packaging. "Nobody wore it?" Keith confirmed, inspecting it for any scratches or damage.

"Nope..." 

Keith opened a display case with his keys and slid the ring onto the foam finger it had originally been on. "You'll need to contact your credit card company and request a chargeback as soon as possible. You can't get the money back after you've paid the bill,"  
Shiro sighed, rubbing his eyes wearily. "Thanks. I'll do that when I get home," He turned around, preparing to exit the store.

"Wait," 

Shiro paused, turning back around to face Keith. "Hm?"  
"I... Nevermind. Forget I said anything," Keith held in a sigh and looked at the ground.  
Shiro nodded and left the jeweler's, eyes cast down and hands tucked in his pockets.


	3. Chapter 3

Keith sat on the stool, unamused and picking at his so-short-it-hurt fingernails. He used to bite them, but he kept getting annoying and painful shreds stuck in his mouth, so he eventually quit. Now, he just ripped the little white ends off and flicked them onto the floor.

Keith had been unable to focus on his work lately, his thoughts always somehow trailing off and wandering to Shiro. The hurt displayed on Shiro's face was too much for Keith too handle, it broke his heart to see a man like him upset.  
It didn't help that Keith had developed some kind of crush on him. Shiro was a pretty dude, after all. How could someone not be attracted to such a dashing guy?  
Keith had gotten distracted in the middle of presenting a piece of jewelry to a customer yesterday. He had been mid-sentence, listing off reasonable prices, when he zoned out and rambled incoherent garbage about Shiro.

"I'd be willing to accept a price lower than four thousand, however..." Keith stiffened and lowered his volume. "Shiro has the nicest bum in all of the country, not even Nicki Minaj can compare to the appeal of his perked cheeks,"  
"Excuse me?"

Needless to say, the customer had been far beyond confused. His manager had been more than annoyed, asking why in the fresh hell Keith had made such a comment.  
Keith didn't know why. His answer had been a shame-filled shrug, complete with a mumbled apology and a promise it wouldn't happen again. He shuffled back behind the counter and took his seat at the stool, his eyes cast down onto the dark-colored carpet.

The remark about Shiro's backside was true, in case you needed to know. 

 

Shiro laid on the too-big-because-one-side-wasn't-full bed, staring at the ceiling with wide eyes.  
Adam had moved the rest of his belongings out of the apartment, leaving the living space too empty, the halls now silent and pictures of Adam and Shiro together taken down and thrown away.  
It felt wrong. Shiro had gotten out of a relationship only days ago, yet he was already infatuated with another man. 

Keith was his 505. Thoughts of Keith kept Shiro awake at night, stirring in his mind and coming to a boil before simmering in Shiro's head, a pot without a lid.  
Shiro needed a figurative-lid, desperately. He needed to cut off the oxygen to the gas fire on his also-figurative stove, the fire keeping his  
introspection alive. Any longer, and that 505 would become an idée fixe, dominating the whole of his brain. 

In other words, Shiro needed to go back to his 505.

 

Keith looked up in the direction of the store's entry when he heard the chime. He bit his lip.  
It was him. Shiro.  
Shiro looked like a lost puppy, his eyes dull and movements slow. He looked pathetic.

Shiro smiled weakly when he saw Keith. He quickened his pace and ran over, now grinning so wide Keith thought his face ached.  
"Okay, this is going to sound nuts,"

Keith raised a confused eyebrow, hoping to mask his relief at seeing the man again.  
"I cannot stop thinking about you, and I have no clue why. Can I get your number?!"  
Keith recoiled in shock. He hid his fanboyish joy behind a dazed smile. "...Sure?"

Shiro whipped out his phone from his back pocket, opening up a new contact to put Keith's information into.  
"I'm sorry this is so sudden. I'm a mess,"  
"It's no problem, really. My number is..."

Shiro nodded along, typing the series of digits into the contact. "I'm sorry, was that last one three or nine?"  
"It was a six, actually,"  
"Oh," Shiro inhaled. "Sorry," He quickly fixed his mistake. "You've been on my mind, I just..."  
Keith nodded. "I can say the same,"  
"I'm glad the feeling is mutual,"  
"You are quite odd," Keith giggled, leaning forward and tapping his fingers on the counter.  
Shiro shrugged. "I'm not always like this. I'm just a little sleep deprived, that's all. I'm sure I'll be able to sleep better tonight,"  
Keith brushed his bangs out his his face with a grin. "I understand you just got out of a relationship. That must be tough,"  
Shiro leaned in closer. "Want to hear a secret?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm surprised I didn't see it coming," Shiro stepped back. "He was getting distant,"  
Keith hissed. "Ouch. It's his loss, Shiro. If he wanted to lead you on and L.H.S over your proposal, then..." He stopped. "I shouldn't be providing relationship advice. I'm pulling this out of my backside,"  
"Hey, I won't be one to complain. I don't think I was ready to get married, either. I was just jaded and clouded with my love for Adam,"  
"That was his name?"  
"Yeah. He was a cute guy, too," Shiro said. He grinned. "You're not so bad, either,"  
"That's big talk for a guy who left a relationship less than a week ago," Despite his words, Keith ended up grinning back and lacing his fingers with Shiro's.  
"It was over months ago. I just didn't realize it,"  
"You're something different," Keith laughed, shaking his head.


End file.
